Poland border crisis: What’s happening on the Belarus border?

Since August, thousands of men, women and children have been gathering at Belarus’ border with Poland. They are mostly from Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen.

These people want to cross over from Belarus to Poland, but have been blocked by Polish guards. They are now sleeping outside or in tents or shelters in very cold conditions.

Polish authorities say that these people are trapped at the border because they have also been prevented from going back into Belarus.

Why are they there?

Some of the people are refugees or asylum seekers escaping persecution or war in their own countries, others may have left their conditions - often referred to as migrants.

Although Belarus is in Eastern Europe, it is not part of the European Union (EU). The people at the border are trying to get into Poland which is a member of the EU.

Why have they come to Belarus?

Refugees and migrants trying to get into countries which are members of the EU is nothing new, but recently Poland, Lithuania and Latvia have all reported an increase of people trying to enter from Belarus.

The EU has accused Belarus making it easier for people to get planes from where they live to Belarus so they can cross into Poland and other member states bordering Belarus.